


When one life ends, Another begins

by bmlhillenkeene



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Fatherly!Bombur, Fatherly!Gloin, Gen, Irreversible Kid!fic, Kid!Dori, Supercute!Dori, not-so-awesome-brothers Nori and Ori
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-09
Updated: 2013-12-09
Packaged: 2018-01-04 04:24:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1076499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bmlhillenkeene/pseuds/bmlhillenkeene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dori is changed into a child by a spell gone horribly awry nothing will ever be the same.</p>
<p>How are Nori and Ori going to cope without their older brother?</p>
<p>And just what does this new life hold in store for our young dwarf?</p>
            </blockquote>





	When one life ends, Another begins

**Author's Note:**

> Written for this post in the Kinkmeme
> 
> DoYC or several dwarves are de-aged, but the spell is irreversible. The person everyone knew is gone forever, as if he died. Cue Family angst.  
> (it would be interesting to see Bifur or Nori de-aged, but it can be anyone)

Gandalf's entrance into Goblin Town was a burst of white magic that bounced off everything, blinding Goblin and Dwarf alike, it caught on one of the appropriated elven trinkets Nori had collected, which lay at the feet of the Goblin King, and the explosion of magic meeting magic knocked everyone flying in different directions.

The silence that fell after the smoke cleared and the dwarves climbed to their feet was nowhere near as long, nor as solemn enough as it should have been when they saw what had become to the Goblin King, now a screaming toddler before them, because a snigger rose up from somewhere in the group (likely one of the younger ones, or Bofur), and then Nori's voce rung out across the group.

"That wasn't my fault."

Even though it, sort of, technically was.

But no one had time to think about it, because the Goblins attacked and Gandalf was yelling for everyone to move, and only Bombur paused to gather a tiny, confused looking dwarrow toddler up into his arms to carry him to safety, only noticing him because of the many years of watching his own twelve children to make sure none of them got lost in the rush of the market crowd.

Whoever it was he could figure out later, when there was less commotion. 

The Goblin King himself was trampled as the Goblin hoard surged after the escaping dwarves. The Goblins would need to find themselves a new king.

~*~

It was not until much later, when they were finally resting of Cannock while the Eagles flew off that suddenly there was a rush of commotion.

"Dori! Where's Dori! Gandalf call them back!" Ori was crying out, head twisting frantically as if to prompt his missing brother to appear.

The babe Bombur was clutching close stirred slightly from the exhausted doze he had fallen into sometime during the Eagle ride and blinked impossibly huge eyes and finally lifted his head to look round.

"Mama?" he asked, and the entire company froze, because the voice of a child was unmistakable and every dwarf learned to listen for it, for they were so few and far between (unless one happened to be Bombur and his wonderful, mothering wife that was) and needed to be protected from all danger.

All eyes turned to Bombur and the babe they only now saw that he was carrying. Ori pushed himself to the front and stared wide eyed at the small child, who was now beginning to tremble at the sight of so many armoured and weapon toting dwarves. And then they watched in stunned silence as that trembling stilled, and the child adopted a very stern expression, frowning in a way far to reminiscent of Dori to deny who he was and said.

"Rude to stare."

Ori paled and immediately turned to Gandalf, who was frowning deeply. "Fix him!" he begged, and even Nori looked vaguely ill, looked to Gandalf hopefully.

Gandalf heaved a strained sounding sigh and said. "I do not know that I can, for it was not my magic that did this thing, nor was it solely the magic in whatever artefact Master Nori took from the elves, and without it I would have no idea of what that magic was supposed to do and how I was to set this to rights."

"You mean to tell me that one of my company will remain a child?" Thorin asked gravely, and everyone could see the implications of that, someone would need to turn back, or should they go on, provision would need to be met to care for a child. 

Neither was favourable.

"That is indeed what I am saying Master Oakenshield, unless someone had the good fortune to pick up the item that caused this, or knows were it now lies. I do not think we could find it in Goblin Town even had we all the hours of the day and no Goblins to disturb us." Gandalf shook his head sadly. "I am afraid that Dori may have to remain so."

"But... You're a Wizard!" Ori said desperately. "Surely you must know some way to save him!"

Gandalf gave the young dwarf a considering look before replying. "He is neither in trouble or troublesome, so I do not believe your brother needs any saving. But I shall of course do my best to come up with a way to cure him of his current affliction, if such a thing can be done."

There was silence then, while everyone traded looks filled with meaning, but no one spoke.

"Thorin." Balin said at last, taking his eyes off Dori, who remained somewhat contented in Bombur's arms, watching them all with a suspicious air that made Nori turn his head from this pint sized version of his brother.

Thorin gave a heavy sigh. "Someone must return with him to the Blue Mountains."

"They wouldn't get more than halfway there before Azog got them Thorin." Dwalin pointed out, and a collective shudder ran through the dwarves at the idea of practically gift wrapping a babe into Azogs hands, even one who had until recently been a full grown dwarf.

"Then what can we do. We cannot take him to Erebor, for a dragon awaits us there!" Thorin snapped angrilly.

"This is what we hobbits call being stuck between a rock and a hard place." Bilbo chimed in suddenly, stepping up towards Bombur and looking Dori over. "He doesn't seem to recognise us."

"I doubt whatever this magic has done would be so cruel as to allow him his memories. And for that I am grateful, for it would be torture I think for someone such as Dori to be unable to help you all should there be a need for it."

"So what do you sugesst Wizard." Thorin asked.

Gandalf shrugged. "It may be best to keep him with you, after all, twelve are much better than one to protect a child from the wilderness, and we do not fully understand this magic, perhaps he shall revert to his proper form sooner than we think."

"I pray that you are right " Thorin said.

~*~

It all to quickly became apparent that Ori was far to distressed to take his brother in his arms, and Nori had refused to so much as look at the babe. Dori was far to young to even have had his brothers, so if any memories did remain of his life, his brothers would not be part of it. So Bombur quickly, and without complaint made up a sling and settled the child against his broad chest, like he had his own babes when they had been so young and his dear wife needed her rest.

It gave him an odd sort of comfort and he found himself sharing a nod with Gloin the only other father in the group, and they both silently agreed to take up the parental duties for as long as needed.


End file.
